Spring cover



Aug. 18, 1936. E. N. JACOB. 2,051,143

SPRING COVER Filed Feb. 9, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l L@ wm WY ,U WWWN N Aug'18, 1936 v l E. N. JAcoBl 2,051,143

SPRING COVER Filed Feb. 9, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 Edward Jeabz PatentedAug. 1s, 1936 ,f

A- Umran- STATES PATENT oFF-*ice Application February 9, 19.35SeriaLNo,5,742

13 Claims.

Y 'I'hislihvention relates toJ improvements. in. spring covers. and.refers morev particularly to.. sheet metal covers for automobile leafsprings. Spring covers now in. general use are usually 5, of' one piece.construction cut and4 bentA to form articulated sections, the. hinged.connection be tween the. sections necessary to allowfor exf ure ofl thespring being formed by the. metal'of` the cover itself. This type ofconnection requires 1Q. constant ilexing of. the material forming: th

covenwhich is obviously objectionable. f

Also, the transverse joints. between the articuf lated. sectionsrequired unsightly gapping connections, which were often pulled opendur-ing; the.

15:.. formation of thev longitudinal seam by.l which the cover was. heldon the` spring.,

With these and other objectionable featuresof'. past and existingmetalspring covers in view.,A this1 invention has as one: of. itsobjects. toprovide a;

cover in which the necessary hinged connections between the severalsections, is. formedanot. by the. metal of the cover itself but by'a;wire binding or band securely drawn about the covered spring.

Another objecty of this.A invention isf to.: provide v a, cover which isheld in place kby a number oi suchv encircling bands, rather.,thanbyrtheusual longitudinal seam. Y Y n Y Another object of.. thisinvention. is,L to provide. a `cover wherein both. the: longitudinalconnection between the. longitudinal. edges of the cover and also thevtransverse. joints. between adjacent sec tions. are: close fitting andhat throughout their entire. extent. Y

Another object of this invention is; to provide a, cover for vehicleleafsprings which. is-readily applicable to the springs, of vehicles alreadyinuse..

. Another object of this. invention to providey a cover for leafysprings. whichmay be readily remi moved replaced-l on. the'springswithout: de;-

stroying or spoiling; the t and. closeness of. its joints.

Anotherv object` of this invention. is; to; provide a. spring covervhavin-g; novel means; forV enabling the introduction of lubricant:underthea cover.

With theA above andother objectsiroview which: will appearas thedescription proceeds, this'. in@l vention. resides, in the: novelccnstruction, combination; and.. arrangement of parts,v substantially 59as hereinafter describedi and: more` particularly defined: by theappended claims', it. being under-:- stoodf that such. changes.. in the.precise embodi.n ment: of the4 hereindisclosedi invention may be madlefascorne withinther. scope.- of the: claims.: The accompanying drawings:.illustrate one Figure 2- is, a. bottom plan., view of the. spring' 10i.

and cover;

FigurefBis annenlarged cross section view taken. through Figure 1 on-zthe; plane: the line 3;-31' Figure 4 is a. detaill perspective viewillustrating the manner of introducing lubricant 15" under the` cover;

Eigure 5Y a: planview of.v twosections; of the cover separated from.eachother and showingthe samefpriorr to: formation. about the spring;

Figure 6 is a detail section;view''.taken through. 20l Figure lr. on theplanef of the. line 6 6; and

Eiguref. 'lv is: a. perspective view ofV one. endi ofv the spring; tdshowI the adjacent; end; portion. ofK the cover;A Y t Referringynow/more. particularly to the. accom- Zitv panyingV drawings in; whichalike.` numerals indi-- cate'. like parts throughoutthe several' views,the` numeral: .a designates a vehicle leafspring of conventionalconstruction and comprising a main or master'leai? l provided witheyes.1 at its oppof. 30r site ends (only one endportion of the spring, being.shown-)ir and, a, plurality of successively shorter 'secondary leaves`8., Si; I0; Ill, llt and. |13:

The cover', indicated generally/:by thenumera-t lift. is composed ofiaplurality ot sheet. metal sec-f 36 tions: Iifin. overlapped relationshipand hingedlyl connected by hinge, .joints 1&6.' Each section IST asbestshownl Figure 5, prior to application to;4k the springsubstantially." in the. form ora trapezoid having` parallel; ends: andconverging.; 4a sides.. 'llhesesections;areI b'ent longitudinallyon`the` lines. |11 to form atopfwall-Z l8r which, overliesv the. main. ormaster leat 6 and:y side Walls I9.. @ther bends 20. outwardly of the.bends IJ ypro.- vide the bottom. Wall.- 1I The bottomlwall. 2| as. willbe readily apparent, is thus composed. of. the overlapping outer edgeportions of the. sec.- tions.

As best shown in' Figure 5, the ends of the topwall I8' of each. sectionare, eut or notched 50i to form; projections 23 andi v2li, theprojections 2'3-' `being atl one end lof each cover section andv the'projections 2'41 being at the opposite endI thereof; Theseprojections 23and;V 24" Vare adaptedil to-v interengage; as will beV readily*i ap- 551parent, and are curled toprov'ide hinge-buttsV Vthrough which a wire 25is passed to hingedly Vconnect the sections. Y Y Y Y The wire 25 passingthrough the interengag-V ing hingeV butts thus forms the hingeconnection VI6Y between adjacent sections.

Through the Vcloselyinterttin'g connection between the curled portions23 andr24 on adjacent cover sections,

the hinged connections; I6 aresecure against fthe entrance of dust/intothe coveror the possi- Y VVbility of grease oozing VoutV from the'Vinterior i thereof, and the uncut end portions on thewsideVV i Yandbottomrwalls of the sections overlap.- n

`It is to jbe noted vthats/the outer end ofthe Y, endmost section hasone Qc'ontijn'uous Iprje'ztion` I8 on its top wall I8 extendingfacrosstheentire f width thereof which is curledlikerthe `portions 23 and 24 toalso receive Va=v wire '25.'5 The side and bottom wall portions of thisendmost section are Vextended beyond the said end of the top wall'asrshown sofasfto lmore securely embrace thelend of the vspringand closethesame VagainstV Y theentrance of dirt and Yforeign matter intov theinterior of the cover at the out'erlendthereof; A

The v.wires 25 besides :providingfa hinge connection between adjacentVsections completely encircle the outside ofI the vcoverVat-the overlapiping jointsbetween the sections and have their ends twisted togethenrasshown, so that the wires Vform. reinforcing I'bands about the spring-andserve to hold the cover in place. llo otherineansV are provided forholding the cover in place. The

longitudinalV edges of thel bottom wall2lfareV Y merely overlapped andthere is no seam these overlapping portions.Y Y M .A

To prevent the wire bands 25. fromfshifting longitudinally `ofthespring,y tongues 26 are between Vi struck up from-the bottom walls 2| oftheY cover 1 V'overlapping longitudinal edgesiofY the coverV sec Y YVVtionsjand Ltoprovide means VVforintroducirig,

e' .sections'tob'e engaged :down

V-A'sis customary, thespring priorto the appli; Y cationofithe coverthereto is jwrappedwith a suitable. fabric 21 ,7: which maybe saturatedwith Ylubricant priorto'its application to thecspring. 4'flhelfabric issoapplied to the spring that its overlapping longitudinal edges. areadjacent ,the

lubricant intothe..` cover'interior, one. longitudi-.L naledge of the'kfabric isfprovided with .one or moregltwfo in the present zinstance)tabs `28.

' 'I 'hes'e tabs 28v project fromY the; adjacent Aedge .of

theicover and facilitate theinsertionof the iiat '.`end29;:of`a greasegun 3,rorotherisuitable lubricant vcharging deviceV between the coveredges Vforlthe/purpose of introducing lubricant y into Lthefinteriorfofthe cover.. j Y T2; l

'."Thetabs 28 mayl be separatepartssewed to` the'fabricZ'l o r, as intheipresent instance, may 6'0f beeinteg'ral VpartsQof the fabricandsformed by `slitting one edgejthereof transversely as at 3|.

,back-to Vallowf-th'e'inneredge 3 2 of the adjacer'itY :cover section tobe disposedthereunder. At all otherV portions throughout fthe length'ofthe Vfabric,"this winner'edgeg32 of the metalrcove'rfern-Y fgagesV downover the overlapped edges of.. the

fabric andiirmly holds 4the Asame in place', but

tnetabs '28; asn stated;,-over1ie theY outer face fof 'theinn'er Vedge32 andare held down bythe outer ed'ge'33 vof theM metalcoven -The tabs28 extend `VVbeylQIifdthefedge 33 so that they mayfbeggrasped over thewires, Y as spring.` 1

between the tabs andthe as shown in Figure 4. v

In this manner, the introduction `of lubricant Q into the interior ofthe cover may be effected entirely without the need for objectionablegrease gun fittings carried bythe cover.

Vcover edgevportlon 32.V

To insure a snug closure both at thelongitu- .i Y dinaloverlappingportions fof the: cover sectic'n'risV Y and the transverse'overlappingportions between v-From'the foregoing descriptiontaken incon- VVVnection withV the accompanying drawings, it will be readilyapparent to thoseskilled inY the artrto which this inventionappertains',that this invention providesV a. spring `coveriof' greatly'improved' construction, that the jheretofore unsightly landobjectionable Yseams required'toisecure Ithe cover in placelareentirelyeliminated, Vand that connecl'` tionsbetwe'enithe adj acentrsiections'and thev mierlapping edges of the section'sthemselves are'madesecurev against the" entrance `of `gdirt and foreign, matter withoutnecessitating Vunsightlyjbulges.; Y `Y It is alsov evident that byAforming thecover fromY separate sectionsrather than linV onepie'ce,.tl'1e Y cover may bemore economically' manufacturedfas smallerpieces-arefusedandiconsequentlyL smallerv` Y Y machinesfmay beVemployed, and also .thatV byjthe elimination'o'f the-'bendingV type'ofihinge connec-A tion betmveen'thel adjacent sections, theobjectionablepossibility-ofthehinge joint-brea-kingrfrom continued'exing lof! ltheVinetalfis precluded.; .The

material Vheretoforerequiredfor the lockseam by V which the coverwasfsecured-to the 'spring is'alsko,

obviated withfthis construction sothat a further Y saving in costiseffected;-

WhatIclaimas my invention is: Y A' 1. A.In a sprin'ecover'lfor-vehicle'leaf springs; a

plurality of end to `end sections,f'hin'ging' and se-` curing and.c'ominon means Yembracing the 'cover Y andproviding hinged connectionsbetween the j;

sections and securing the cover tothe spring. V A 2. A-springcover-forvehicle leaf springs com-'1` prising a plurality ofsecti'onsjarranged endto'end Y on the spring;`interfittinghinge-bearings on` adja-Y Y cent ends'offthe sections,andwire bfa-ndsfhaving V portions thereof forming hinge pins engaging saidi *hingebearings onfthe endsjofA the sections to hingedly connectthe'sections' and also'embaclng the covered spring tofholdfthe cover onthe springl 3. A springcover'forleafv springscomprising'4 a" pluralityof sections arranged `'endjto -endonvthe spring, each section-having'walls Vtocover-theY top,V sides and bottombf the1 spring'jfmeansontheadjacent portions `ofonewallr fof f'said sections arranged forinterengagement to provide `hingebutts, and iiexiblehinge pins havingVtheizfm'iddle f portions passed throughsaid hin'gefbu'tts 4'and theirendiportions embracing the-covered spring and connected togetherhtoholdthe Ycover on'the 4. Aspring-cover forjvehicle'leafsprings'coin prisinga,Y plurality of sheet vme talsectionsfeach section Ybeing vadapted tol'completely'.Vv encircle 1a. portion .of the: spring; and' .saidsections"being arranged in endwise i overlapping relationship',

means on, certain :walls o'f 'said sections'providin'g i hinge butts,4and wires passed 'through' saidV hinge butts to ,hingedly,;connect the`sections:thei fend 75x Y portions of said wires encircling theoverlapped portions of the sections and being twisted together to firmlysecure the cover sections on the spring.

5. A leaf spring cover comprising the combination of a plurality ofrelatively movable sections, means on certain walls of said sectionsadapted to interengage and provide hinge butts, hinge pins passingthrough said hinge butts to hingedly connect the sections, and means onthe ends of the hinge pins arranged to embrace and hold the spring coveron the spring.

6. In a vehicle leaf spring cover, a plurality of relatively movablesections arranged in end to end relationship and each section completelyencircling a portion of the spring, and wire loops providing hingedconnections between the sections and embracing the cover and spring tosecurely lock the cover on the spring.

7. In a cover for vehicle leaf springs, a fabric wrapping encircling thespring, a sheet metal covering surrounding the wrapping and havingoverlapping edge portions, and means carried by the wrapping andprojecting from the overlapping outer edge of the metal covering tofacilitate the insertion of the nozzle of a lubricant injector betweenthe overlapping edges of the metal covering for the purpose of injectinglubricant under the covering.

8. In a spring cover for vehicle leaf springs, a fabric wrappingencircling the spring and'having overlapping edge portions, the outeredge portion of the fabric being cut to provide a tab, a metal coveringencircling the wrapping and having overlapping edge portions, the inneredge portion engaging down over the overlapped portions of the wrappingbut beingrunder said tab, and said tab projecting out from the edge ofthe outer overlapping portion of the metal covering to facilitate theinsertion of the nozzle of a lubricant injector under the tab andbetween the overlapping portions of the metal covering to allowinjection of lubricant under the wrapping.

9. In a covering for vehicle leaf springs, a fabric wrapping encirclingthe spring and having overz lapping edges, a sheet metal coveringencircling the Wrapping and having overlapping edges, and Y means on thefabric wrapping and projecting from the overlapped edges of the metalcovering to guide the nozzle of a lubricant injector between theoverlapped edges of the metal covering and into the interior of thewrapping to enable injection of lubricant into the space under theWrapping.

10. In a covering for vehicle leaf springs, a fabric wrapping encirclingthe spring, a metal covering encircling the wrapping and havingoverlapping edges, and a tab carried by the fabric and projecting fromthe outer overlapping edge of the metal covering to permit the same tobe grasped for pulling said outer edge of the metal covering awaysufficiently to enable the insertion of the nozzle of a lubricantinjector between the overlapped edges of the covering'to facilitate theinjection of lubricant under the fabric.

11. In a covering for vehicle leaf springs, a fabric wrapping encirclingthe spring, a metal covering encircling the wrapping and havingoverlapping joints at its edge portions, means to maintain said jointsclosed withspring tension,

and a tab carried by the fabric and projecting y from certain of saidoverlapping joints to provide means for pulling said joints open againstsaid spring tension to enable the insertion of the nozzle of a lubricantinjector into said overlapping joints.

12. A cover for leaf springs comprising a sheet metal member encirclinga portion of the spring with one edge Voverlapping the other, saidoverlapping edge being sprung toward the edge it overlaps so that theportion of the sheet metal member adjacent to but spaced from theoverlapping edge is bowed away from the spring, and constricting meansencircling the cover to bind vthe same onto the spring and therebyrestrain the outward bowing and press said overlapping edge upon theother which it overlaps.

13. A cover for vehicle leaf springs comprising a plurality of coversections each adapted to completely encircle a portion of the spring,means to hingedly connect the adjacent sections with the end portionsthereof overlapped, the outer overlapping end portions being sprungtoward the portions they overlap whereby the portions of the v sectionsremote from the ends of the outer overlapping portions are bowed awayfrom the spring, and constricting means encircling the cover at thejoints between its sections and substantially over the portions bowedthe maximum distance from the spring to bind the cover sections aboutthe spring and thereby restrain the outward bowing and press saidoverlapping en`d portions upon the portions which they overlap.

EDWARD N. JACOBI. f

CERTIFICATE OE' CORRECTION.

Patent No. 2,051 ,143. August 18, 1936.

EDWARD N. JACOBI.

It is he eby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: 'Page 2,second column, line i5-46, claim l, strike out the Words "hinging andsecuring" and insert the same after "Common" in line 46, same Claim; andthat the said Lettere Patent should be read with thisl Coriectiontherein that the same may conform to the record of the Case in thePatent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th dey of October, A. D. 1956.

Leslie Frazer* (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

